73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Crew Cabs => Topic started by: otisd85 on November 22, 2013, 03:47:51 pm
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i picked up a 100% rust free 1986 4x4 crew cab dually in California this summer while visiting my grandparents, and drove it back to Nebraska. it is parked in the barn for the winter, and i have plans of tearing it down and doing a rust prevention based restoration next summer. my barn is by no means a sealed environment, and I'm looking for a cover to protect it mainly from the cats, coons, opossum, mice, or other rodents that might think of it as a nice home for the winter. i found one when i was searching a few months back, and i think it was intended for everything up to and including nuclear fallout, and was like $600. that's not what I'm looking for. i was hoping to find something in the $100-$200 range, i realise that this takes a lot of fabric, but i wouldn't imagine there being that much size difference in all the big three manufactures crew cab long box dual rear wheel trucks.
if anybody has a line on a good quality cover at a reasonable price, please let me know. if i had my choice id like to see one made from something like canvas tarp fabric. i know that would be rough on the finish, but this truck has nearly 30 years of sun fade and oxidation on the paint already.
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For that price range why not get a canvas tarp and just bungie it down. I don't know of a custom fitted cover that is going to be that cheap.
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honestly i would spend the money for the more expensive top, especially in a truck like that. its an investment into the preservation of it if that makes any sense
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Welcome from Alaska. I'm a displaced Nebraskan. Grew up in the Panhandle. Is Nebraska your home?
I've long wanted a crew cab dually 4x4. Keep us advised of your progress when you start.
Can't be much help on the cover. For ~$400 I was going to have a tent and awning co. make me one using general measurements. They would have made it from waterproof material and sealed the seams. The material looked like a heavy duty vinyl that had a soft backing. That was ~10 years ago so $600 does not seem out of line.
Rusty
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I'm thinking ill probably just go the tarp route for now. i plan on daily driving this truck when I'm done, and i cant really justify spending that much money on something that will not likely be used again.
i was born an raised in Nebraska, and i plan on doing a build thread when i start to make progress. its a very straight and clean truck so the body work should be minimal, and my main goals will be rust prevention and reliability. I'm pretty familiar with these trucks, but I'm sure ill have plenty of questions.
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I bought a moderately priced one (<$100) for a newer bodystyle crew cab shortbed gm truck & it fit good enough. Worked good until I put on with the doghouse off & it beat itself to death.
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If you need to seal it from rodents you might want one of the tents/bags you drive into and then zip shut. I think they fill with air, iirc.
They're probably costly, though.
Or, throw a tarp over it and fill it with moth balls, etc.